The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-01-20
SALLIE'S TRAMP.
"a First Amused Her and at Last
Married Her.

ment Of slamming oven doors. and a
grrs CHEEKY voice singing snatches OF
Old love songs. Pretty black-eyed
Sallie Elliott, farmers daughter, busy
at work as usual. and singing as she
wrought that busy afternoon before
Christmas. Stewing and baking and
trung to be done for tomorrow and to-
morrow's crowd of visitors, and the
aroma Of stewing fruits, baking cakes
and pies, and frying doughnuts filled
the room and was waited out through
the partly open door, and down to the
roadway. Father and brothers had
driven out into the field gathering corn,
mother had just stepped over to
neighbor's, and she was left all to her
pretty self to do the accustomed Satur-
day afternoon's fixing. Quite a lot of
itioo, seemingly, for one pair of little
hands 10 do, but they were deft, willing
little hands, and the way work flew be-
fore them was simply magical. A
clumsy shuttle along the walk, an un-
steady step on the porch, and the door
was pushed rudely open, and a mans
burly figure darkened the doorway.
The blithe song died away in pitiful
little quayer.
..Ha. ha! Now l have you! A weak
grl all alone saw men folks leave
neighbors too far to be alarmed-too
coNardly to use weapons even did she
have them-in short an easy victim.
Tomorrow's dailies will announce
another iendish murder by tramps TO
sensation loving world! Just fresh
from slaughtering my one-hundredth
man, while my arrests, robberies ETC.,
are entirely too numerous to mention" {"
All the tramp had said was only too
true. But though the rosy cheeks did
turn deathly pale and there was the
least perceptible quiver about the rose
bud mouth, the black eyes flashed
oninously as they cast furtive glance
the cleaning butcher knife lying
near.
Butcher knife won't amount to a
Dill OF beans"-observing the glance
will only add spice of danger to the
port and thereby render it more ex-
allarating! Just as well meet your
late resignedly. Your only respite or
nope is, to at once set before me plenty
o. the very best you have to eat this
very minute. Look sharp nowr'
She looked at the man critically. A
rough, ragged and dirty man, with un-
ssempt hair and rough stubble of
eeard covering his face. and pair of
Onght mischievously twinkling blue
syes that gave the lie to his threaten
y. perhaps you are not altogether
y 9ad man as you seem to wish to
make out, she ventured with pitiful
aempt at smile. "At any rate, not
Oad as to take advantage of a help
1ss glrl who never did you harm"
what. not, and l a tramp. A rag
sea dirty and brutal tramp?" he ex-
GAINED Surely you can't have kept
" u WIN the papers! All poor fellows
sas Of luck, and ragged and dirty are
lamps. and to be Kicked and cuffed
a sooa' IKE dogs and then wondered at,
,,aa.oM nas some OF them act the dog they are
ARP Du1 all men a little ragged and
NY are not tramps. more than all
me aeu VINO are finely dressed are gentle
Is, answered Sallie with a little
s Sagn now. If they were, we should
ssc =. iots OF tramps who are any thing
~ s,ss, and lots of fine gentlemen who
ae not SO considered.
4. \ you doubt my tramphood, Just
<. something before me really good
: SsaI, and | will convince you beyond
s;not aouot Be quick about it, seating
= hsei, = at the table-''for l am in haste
roa y through and proceed to murder
.s ~, plander the house, and then fire il
.n,ssg olulng to the usual and most ap-
proved method.''
h sallie @ laughed little uneasy laugh.
hss 10y = pam to be seen that the fellow
Sin n y notion of doing as he boasted,
TsI, YET position was not one very en-
'sS,e .s oy any means.
n te,n,alnly You shall have something
tu,n she hastened to say. 1--WE never
wsa a any one away hungry, no matter
~ Not very much Of fire-let i,
4 oMn S;a while at my bread, stirring
littlas aso1oasiiy;-"will run out after q
bama NOT much will you" exclaimed the
sharap sprlnglng to his feet; lam toe
'of that; all you want is to ge,